The Austin Motor Company
moved into the Longbridge premises, which had been unoccupied for
some four years. Herbert Austin moved his effects into one of the
offices, which was to remain his personal office throughout the
rest of his life. Austin's office was located at the front of the
factory, adjacent to the front door, overlooking the main factory
entrance of the time (now known as 'K' Gate). Through the office
window Austin would have looked down the Bristol Road South towards
the village of Rubery.

Although starting off with a centre gear change, this was changed
to the steering column, to bring it in line with the saloon in
autumn 1951.

Austin used his office until his death in May 1941. Subsequently
Leonard Lord (Lord Lambury) and Bill Davis both used the office
briefly.

In
the 1950's, when the Austin Motor Company was part of the British
Motor Corporation and Longbridge was the headquarters, there was
money for development. Much of this investment can be seen in the
form of the Conference Centre (previously know as the Exhibition
Hall), Assembly A (Car Assembly Building 1), the Sales and
Marketing building, the Product Development Centre (Designs block),
South Engineering Block and International Headquarters.

In order to build the South Engineering Block, the old Showroom had
to be demolished. Bill Davis, then a B.M.C. board member, asked
Leonard Lord where he should work, as his office was to be
relocated. He was told to move into 'The Old Man's' office, which
he did for some months until his new office was built.

Bill was the last user of
the office. It was on his instruction, when the front of No.1 shop
including the Old Man's office, had to be demolished, in the late
1950's, that provision be made in the new South Engineering Block
to relocate 'The Office'. It remained until the spring of 2003,
when it was incorporated into the Conference Centre, as part of the
archive centre.

Walk this way
to another world

Sited to the
right-hand-side of the Conference facility, it is possible to
switch the lights on from the outside and peer through the windows
as if you were walking by. Access to the room remains through a
door in the museum, which houses a small collection of cars
associated with Longbridge.

Austin, MG and Rover cars are represented and include a 1935 Austin
16/6 still fitted with its Austin Hayes automatic transmission (at
one time owned by Bob Wyatt the Austin Historian and writer, and
kindly donated to the museum by GKN Technology) and a 1959 Austin
Se7en (one of the original Mini’s).

Once in the office, the
period atmosphere is protected in time, indeed as 1930’s
photographs prove, the office is comfortable but not lavish.

Inside the room in the corner is a small door, this used to lead to
the most important room in the factory - the Chairman's' throne
room (toilet)! Along side this door is a framed drawing of a
railway locomotive and carriage, with the words below: 'Most
everything worthwhile is born of some dreamers dream'. It was
Austin's dream to make motorcars and that belief continued in all
the cars that were built at Longbridge.

The fireplace occupies the
centre of this wall. The mantelpiece has a dip towards the right
hand end. This was probably caused by Austin leaning on it over
many years whilst talking to visitors in his office. Under the
lights is a photograph of a white haired gentleman and signed by
the subject 'From your friend, Henry Ford'. Henry would visit his
factory at Trafford Park, Manchester and stay with the Austin's at
Lickey Grange, probably no doubt spending time comparing notes and
exchanging ideas. Below Henry Ford's photograph, there is a period
air conditioning unit made by Carrier in the United States. Most
visitors to the office, when asked, suggest that it looks like a
stereo or a radiogram. With the looks of a fine piece of cabinet
making, it is in fact pressed steel painted to great effect.

In the centre of the mantelpiece is a picture of St. George slaying
the dragon (see in colour picture) . On the shelf above is an Onyx
ashtray, a souvenir from the World's first purpose built motor
racing track at Brooklands. Austin's son in law, Colonel Arthur
Waite, led the Austin Seven racing team against many other
manufacturers' products including MG.

Also of interest on the
mantelpiece are two shells, produced by the Austin Motor Company
during World War 1. Austin expanded his factory between 1914 and
1918 in order to help supply the military needs of the country.
North Works had been built on the other side of the railway with
West Works on the other side of the Bristol Road. The South Works,
which included the original White and Pike factory, was extended
back to the Birmingham-Gloucester railway line.

As soon as the Armistice was signed all Government Contracts were
cancelled. This left Austin with 20,000 employees and little work.
The Austin 20 was put into production designed for the world
market. This fine car suffered the imposition of taxation in the
home market based on the bore of the engine whilst ignoring the
stroke. This lead to the introduction of long stroke engines
unsuitable for the rest of the world and in 1921 Austin was forced
to rush the 12 into production.

The sales of these two models did not raise sufficient cash flow to
maintain the factory and the administrators were called in to help
Austin turn the Company round. Sadly the day came when Austin had
to decide if the factory gates should be closed for the last time,
or if he should put his alternative plan to the
workforce.

Austin appreciated that he could not ask this of the workers
without giving something in return and he offered those making the
sacrifice, a job for life as long as the Company was there. In the
1970's there were still some of these workers, past retirement age
in their 70s, working their 'Job for Life'. That coin, a half crown
(two shillings and six pence which is now twelve and a half pence
to those who don't remember real money) is mounted in the wooden
panelling behind Austin's desk.

Below the window opposite
the door into the office, on a delightful cabinet, is a clay bust
of the 'Old Man' in his latter years. This is the artwork for the
bronze bust that has recently been returned to the Conference
Centre to stand in the entrance foyer to the museum. The bronze
bust to the right of the picture shows Austin in his younger
years.

Clay Master
PatternFinal Bronze
Casting

On the Old Man's desk are three inkwells. The one, presented to him
by Rudge Whitworth, is made from the wheel nut for a wire wheel. In
the red-topped ink well of the other pair is an old fifty pence
piece placed there on a visit by Sir Michael Edwardes, when he was
the Chairman of British Leyland in the 1970s.

Behind the desk, above the famous half crown, is a plaque
commemorating Austin exhibiting his cars at a motor show in Turin
in 1911. Just six years after opening his factory, Austin was
exhibiting his cars across Europe.

Within the room all the fixtures and fittings are original, from
the light in the ceiling to the carpet on the floor. Going out
through the doors into the Conference Centre returns visitors to
the modern world, leaving behind the history encapsulated in the
single room that was Lord Austin of Longbridge.